On August 22, 1814, units of the Maryland militia marched past Mount Clare, first to bivouac at Elk Ridge and then on to Bladensburg to meet the British. Among the American militia was James Carroll, Jr., of Mount Clare in Baltimore. James Carroll, Jr., returned to Baltimore with dispatches of the defeat at Bladensburg on the night of the 24th. The Carrolls living at Mount Clare at the time, including Margaret Tilghman Carroll, the Barristers widow, could have seen the red glow in the southwestern sky from the burning of the capitol. They could have also seen the British fleet in the Patapsco River on September 11th, especially with a spyglass from one of the upstairs windows. They certainly must have watched the bombardment of Fort McHenry from their hill top advantage at Mount Clare.

Mount Clare was also the site of the National Encampment attended by the surviving defenders of Baltimore, as well as troops from Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Washington (May 14-30, 1841). A parade was reviewed by then President John Tyler, Chief of Staff General Winfield Scott, and numerous other dignitaries. When the Association of the Defenders of Baltimore of the War of 1812 entered the camp they were received by the cheers of 10,000 persons.

In September 1914, a centennial celebration took place in Carroll Park to commemorate Baltimoreís involvement in the War of 1812. A plaque was unveiled and presented and later mounted on the building near the Carriage Entrance of the mansion.

Text on plaque reads as follows:

The Mansion, now known as Mount Clare Museum House and Carroll Park are the property of the Department of Recreation and Parks, City of Baltimore. The mansion has been managed as a museum by the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Maryland since 1917, designating it as Marylandís First House Museum.[ TOP OF PAGE ]